Sliding gate valve for internal combustion engines



April s, 1938. c. 8. su 2,113,519

SLIDING GATE VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 50, 1937 CVzarZeaBJZaaZ,

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ril 5, 1938. c. B. SLOAT 2,113,519

SLIDING GATE VAL VE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. '30, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES SLIDING GATE. VALVE FOR INTERNAL COM- BUSTION ENGINES Charles B. Sloat, Hoven, S. Dak.

Application January 30, 1937, Serial No. 123,283

4 Claims.

This invention relates to sliding gate valves for internal combustion engines.

One important object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved arrangement of sliding gate valves for controlling the intake and exhaust from the cylinder of an internal combustion engine.

A second important object of the invention is to provide valve means for such an engine wherein the valves are flat slide valves and work on flat or plane surfaces.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a valve arrangement of this class wherein flat slide valves are located within a cylinder and work over plane surfaces provided with intake and exhaust ports.

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide means whereby internally located slide valves are operated from outside the cylinder.

A fifth important object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement for holding such valves closely against the surfaces whereon they work.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein are shown the preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of the cylinder of a single cylinder engine embodying the sliding gate valves in accordance with this invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the upper part of such an engine cylinder,

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a front elevation of such a cylinder,

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a. fragmentary section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a section on the line '!-'l of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 6,

Figure 9 is a view of the gate valve separate from the rest of the structure,

Figure 10 is an enlarged horizontal section through the intake and exhaust ports and their gate valves and showing means whereby to compensate for wear on the valves, and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail showing a modified arrangement of the valve actuating means used herein.

While the embodiment of the invention herein shown and described is illustrative of its application to a single cylinder engine, it is to be understood that the valve arrangement is applicable to any number of cylinders in an engine, it being merely necessary to provide each cylinder with the parts set forth in the present embodiment.

In the drawings there is shown the upper part of a cylinder indicated in general at I0 and consisting of a cylinder body II and a cylinder head l2. The cylinder body II is of the usual circular cross-section and includes an inner or main wall 13 and an outer wall or shell I4 spaced concentrically from the inner wall to provide the usual water space l5 common to internal combustion engines of the Water jacketed type. The walls l3 and I4 are held spaced at their upper ends by the usual Webs I6 connecting the walls at circumferentially spaced intervals. Extending outwardly around the upper end of the wall I4 is a peripheral flange having a rear semi-circular portion I! and a forward portion l8 substantially rectangular in external contour. In this cylinder body is the usual reciprocating piston l9 provided with packing rings 2! and with a pin 2| for the upper end of the connecting rod (not shown) of the cylinder.

The cylinder head l2 has in plan a semi-circular rear portion 22 from each side of which extends a flat or plane side portion 23 and the forward edges of these side portions are connected by a flat or plane front portion 24. The front portion 24 has a horizontal upper edge 25 from the ends of which the upper edges of the head sides extend horizontally rearward for short distances as at 26 and then incline downwardly to- 3 ward the rear as at 21. The edges 2! connect with the upper edge 28 of the rear portion 22.

The top of the head thus has a horizontal front portion 29 and a downwardly extending rear portion 30. The front, sides, rear and top of this head each has an inner wall 3| and an outer wall 32 spaced from the inner wall to provide a water space 33. Webs 34 are spaced around the periphery of the lower edge of the bed to hold the walls 3| and 32 properly spaced and these webs 34 are aligned with the webs 16 so that ports 'are provided for circulation of water between the water spaces 15 and 33. The lower edge of the head [2 is provided with a peripheral flange having a semicircular rear portion 35 and a. forward portion 36 of substantially rectangular external contour, the head flange thus conforming in outline to the body flange. The usual gasket 31 is interposed between the body and head flanges and the head is secured to the body by ordinary means such as the bolts 38.

In the fiat front 24 is provided an intake or fuel port 39 of laterally elongated rectangular form and a similar laterally elongated rectangular exhaust port 40. The port 39 communicates at its outer end with an intake casing 4| to which is bolted or otherwise secured a fuel supply pipe or manifold 42. The port 40 communicates at its outer end with an exhaust pipe or manifold 43 which is suitably secured to the front face of the front portion or wall 24. The inner wall 3| of the front of the head is provided with vertically disposed dove-tailed grooves 44 through the bottoms of which the inner ends of the ports 59 and 49 open. In these grooves are slidably mounted the dove-tailed valve plates 45 and 46"which control the respective ports 39 and 40. Each of these valves has a rectangular port 41 which is brought by movement of the respective: valve into and out of registry with the port 39 or 40 controlled by that valve. The portion 48 of each valve above the port 41' of said valve serves to close the respective port 39 or 40 upon the valve being moved downwardly to port closing position. This is well seen in Figure 8.

Below each oi" the ports 39 and 40 there is provided in the front 24 of the head a Vertical slot 59 wherethrough passes a valve stem '49 suitably attached to the respective valve. 1 The slots 50 are of such vertical extension that movement of the stems to their upper ends opens the respective ports 39 and 40 while movement of said stems to the lower ends of slots 50 closes said ports. The lower ends of the valve plates 45 and 46 constantly cover the inner ends of the slots 50 and thus prevent escape of gases from the interior of the head through these slots. On the front of the cylinder body is formed a pair of vertical guides 5| wherethrough pass valve rods or lifters 52. Each of the rods 52 is provided at its upper end with a head 53 wherein is secured the outer end 'of a respective valve stem 49. Around each of the valve stems 49 is arranged a coiled compression spring 54 which bears at one end against a head 53 and at its other end against a plate 55 slidably bearing against the front 24. These springs 54 serve to urge the valves constantly into close engagement with the valve seats formed by the grooves 44. On each of the valve rods 52 below the guide 51 is a sliding collar 56 held in adjusted position by a set screw 51. Between each collar 56 and guide 5| is a coiled compression spring 58 which thus urges the valve rods downwardly. By this means the valves are also constantly urged downwardly toclose the ports 39 g and 49.

' In order to provide means for oiling the valves suitable oil holes 59 (Figures 7 and 8) are provided.

In order to adjust for wear of the gate valves the arrangement shown in Figure 10 may be used. It will be seen that the face 60 against which the gate valves rest constitutes a plane surface. At each side of this surface is a strip 6| (only one being shown) which has an undercut bevel face 62 against which fits one bevelled edge of one of the gate valves 45, 46. These strips 6| are secured against the face 6|! by suitable means such as is indicated by the bolt or cap-screw 63. Centrally between the strips 6| is a strip 64 having its side edges forming bevelled and undercut faces 65. Beneath the strips 6| and. 64 rest shims 66 of the usual removable type. Bolts or cap-screws 61 serve to hold the strip 64 removably in place. Against the shims rest the remaining bevelled sides of the gate valves 45 and 46. By removing layers of the shims the valves may be closely gripped so as to prevent leakage of the gases and, upon the valves being worn, the shims may be adjusted from time to time to restore the proper fit for the valves. Further, this arrangement permits easy removal and replacement of the gate valves since the strips 6| and 64 may be removed by unscrewing the cap-screws 63 and 61 thus leaving the valves free for removal and replacement.

--In Figure 11 there is shown a portion of a cylinder and a portion of a head H This head has the usual slots through which project the valve stems each consisting of a larger boss portion 49 and a smaller extension 49 Lifter rod heads 53 fi't on the portions 49 and bear against the outer faces of the portions 49 being there held by springs 54 which bear at their inner ends against the heads 53 and at their outer ends against washers 55 which are held adjustably on the portions 49* by adjusting nuts 55. Suitable guide means 5 a is provided for the stems '52 of the lifter rods.

The valve rods 52 are operated in the usual manner common tointernal combustion engines by a cam shaft having cams thereon arranged to alternately raise the rods and thus to alternately open andclose-the valves. This cam shaft and its cams being well known it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate these parts. As the valves are alternately operated the usual four cycle action takes place, the valve 39 being opened to admit a charge on the down stroke of the piston and closed as the piston moves upwardly to compress the charge which is then fired by a spark from the spark plug 59. The piston again descends, the intake valve 39 remaining closed. During these three movements of the piston the exhaust valve remains closed. As the piston moves upwardly for the second time in the cycle the exhaust valve 40 moves upwardly and opens, the valve 39 remaining closed. The valve 40 closes as the piston reaches the upper end of the exhaust stroke and the cycle is repeated.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It will be observed that the invention is equally simple in construction as a poppet valve, yet

is one that eliminates the objectionable features 'of the poppet valve such as noise and friction. There is no complicated and cumbersome mechanism such as is found in valves of the sliding sleeve types. unobstructed thereby affording the greatest possible power with the least fuel consumption. The sliding gate valves operate with oil and are therefore, oil sealed and devoid of leakage. Since .the gate valves are inside, the pressure within the cylinder tends to tighten the contact of the valves on their seats and thus eliminates leakage.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the principles involved. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described but it is desired to include all such .as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. In an internal combustion engine, 2. cylinder including a hollow head opening therein, said head having a flat side wall having its inner face provided with a pair of spaced parallel The passage of gas is free and l dovetailed grooves lengthwise thereof, said wall being formed with horizontally aligned intake and exhaust ports opening directly into the head through the bases of said grooves intermediate the ends of the latter, the sides of said ports being spaced from the side walls of the grooves, and reciprocatory dovetailed valve plates slidably mounted in said grooves, and travelling in opposite directions in timed relation for alternately controlling the opening and closing of said ports.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder including a hollow head opening therein, said head including a flat side wall having its inner face provided with a pair of spaced parallel dovetailed grooves lengthwise thereof, said wall being formed with horizontally aligned intake and exhaust ports opening directly into the head through the bases of said grooves intermediate the ends of the latter, the sides of said ports being spaced from the side walls of the grooves, reciprocatory dovetailed apertured valve plates slidably mounted in said grooves, and travelling in opposite directions in timed relation for controlling the opening and closing of said ports, said walls being formed below said ports with slots permanently closed at their inner ends by said plates, and driven spring controlled guided structures for reciprocating said plates, each of said structures being formed'with a head provided with an angularly disposed part extending through a slot and fixed to a valve plate, and means on said parts between the valve plates and head for maintaining the plates in snug sliding contact with the walls of the grooves.

3. In internal combustion engines, a cylinder including a hollow head opening therein, said head having a flat side wall provided in and lengthwise of its inner face with a pair of spaced parallel dovetailed grooves, said wall being formed with horizontally aligned intake and exhaust ports directly opening into the head through the bases of said grooves between the transverse medians and upper ends of said grooves, the sides of said ports being spaced from the side walls of the grooves, and reciprocatory dovetailed apertured valve plates slidably mounted in said grooves, and travelling in opposite directions in.

timed relation for controlling the opening and closing of said ports.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder including a hollow head opening therein, said head having a fiat side wall having its inner face provided with means to constitute a pair of spaced parallel dovetailed grooves lengthwise thereof, said wall being formed with horizontally aligned intake and exhaust ports opening directly into the head through the bases of said grooves intermediate the ends of the latter, the sides of said ports being spaced from the side walls of the grooves, and reciprocatory dovetailed apertured valve plates slidably mounted in said grooves, and travelling in opposite directions in timed relation for alternately controlling the opening and closing of said ports, said means on the inner face of said wall including a pair of spaced parallel oppositely disposed outer strips adjustable relative to the said inner face of said wall having beveled undercut inner side faces and an inner strip disposed in parallel spaced relation to said outer strips, adjustable relative to the said inner face of said Wall and having beveled undercut side faces oppositely disposed relative to the beveled side faces of the outer strips, said inner and outer strips coacting to prevent leakage and to compensate for the wear of the lengthwise edges of said plates.

CHARLES B. SLOAT. 

